Long-term weight loss is a snip for hairdresser Katie

Hairdresser Katie Clark has maintained her 5st 2lb weight loss for almost seven years

At her largest she struggled to play at the park with her young daughter, and once became stuck in a playground slide

Katie has now been named Slimming World’s Diamond Member of the Year 2018

She has now discovered a love of exercise and even runs her own fitness classes

A hairdresser from Suffolk is a cut above the rest after maintaining her 5st 2lb weight loss for almost seven years, slimming from a size 20 to a size 12 and bagging a national slimming title.

At her largest Katie Clark, 46, who lives with her partner Lee, 42, and daughter Beau, nine, found that her weight was seriously impacting on her day-to-day life. Her turning point came when she couldn’t play at the park with her young daughter, because she was too large to fit down a slide.

Katie says: “Beau was about 18 months old so too young to go down the slide alone. I climbed up with her and sat her on my knee, but when I went to push myself off, I realised we weren’t moving. I was wedged so tightly in the slide that I had to push us down to the bottom with my spare arm. I knew then something had to change.”

She decided to lose weight to set a healthier example to her little girl, and has now been named Slimming World’s Diamond Member of the Year 2018*, a title which celebrates members who have successfully maintained their target** weight.

Having struggled with her weight since childhood, Katie first lost weight with Slimming World 20 years ago, following a holiday with her friends. She says: “The first time I joined Slimming World was because I was fed up of being the ‘fat one’ in my group of friends. I felt really uncomfortable on our girly holiday and I knew it was my weight that was making me miserable. I decided the next time we all went on holiday I’d be feeling happy and confident. I lost 4st 11lbs and felt amazing – I was even the first-ever member to appear on the front cover of Slimming World Magazine in 1998!

“After a while though I started to think I could go it alone. Soon after I met my partner Lee, and we got comfortable with lots of meals out and cosy nights in. A few years later I had my daughter Beau and my weight just went up and up. Before I knew it, I was heavier than ever.

“The slide incident was bad enough, and then Lee’s cousin announced she was getting married in Cyprus and that we were all invited. Instead of being excited, I was filled with dread about going away at the size I was. I feared it would be like that first holiday all over again. It was the motivation I needed to get myself back to Slimming World. I’d done it before so I knew I could do it again.”

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Slimming World has helped me to completely change my lifestyle for the better – and because of that I now feel so much happier, healthier and more confident.

Katie Clark, Slimming World's Diamond Member 2018

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Katie says she wasn’t worried about joining Slimming World for the second time because she knew she’d receive a warm welcome from her Consultant and the members of her previous Mildenhall group. She says: “To be honest I didn’t really feel nervous about going back to Slimming World. I knew everyone would be warm and friendly just like they were before, and I knew that the plan and the group support works wonders. Even the second time around, I still found myself surprised at all the amazing food I could eat though! Curries, pasta, chips and burgers were all still on the menu, I just had to prepare them in a different way – like swapping white bread for wholemeal and using low-calorie cooking spray instead of oil.

“A year later I reached my target weight – and this time I knew that the secret to maintaining my weight loss was staying to my group! The support and inspiration I get from them each week really keeps me on track and I like to think I help out a few of the newer members with my own advice too. By the time the wedding came around I was feeling fantastic and enjoyed the day without worrying about my weight. Best of all, I knew that my size would never stop me having fun with my little girl again. We had a great time playing in the pool and making the most of our holiday, rather than hiding away.

"Another amazing thing I developed as a result of my weight loss this time around was a love of fitness! I still exercised when I was heavier, yet losing weight gave me a whole new zest for it. These days I have so much energy that I need a way to burn it all off! A few years ago I even started my ownHour of Powerexercise classes, which I absolutely love. I often spot a few familiar faces from my Slimming World group while I’m teaching, including my lovely Consultant Donna! Slimming World has helped me to completely change my lifestyle for the better – and because of that I now feel so much happier, healthier and more confident.”

Katie’s Slimming World Consultant Donna Cooper couldn’t be more proud of her sparkling Diamond Member. She said: “Katie has always been a little ray of sunshine in our group, so we’re all extremely proud of her. She’s living proof that despite life’s ups and downs, you can lose weight and keep it off – for life. Katie is an amazing inspiration to everyone in our Mildenhall group and we’re so pleased that her fantastic achievements have been recognised. I hope that she has inspired anyone who wants to lose weight – no matter what their situation, even if they’ve been there before and are struggling with weight gain – to pop along to their local Slimming World group. You’ll always be welcomed with open arms, whatever stage of your journey you’re at.”

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FACT FILE

Starting weight: 15st 6½lbs/216½lbs/98kg

Weight loss: 5st 2lbs/72lbs/33kg

Weight now: 10st 4½lbs/144½lbs/65kg

Height: 5ft 4½ins/163cm

Joining date: January 2011

Date achieved target: November 2011

Time at target: 6 years 11 months

Age: 46

Group: Katie attends the Mildenhall group in Suffolk run by Consultant Donna Cooper. It runs every Wednesday at 9:30am, 11:30am, 3:30pm, 5:30pm and 7:30pm at St John the Evangelist RC Church.

Before menu:

Breakfast: Crunchy nut cornflakes and milk

Lunch: Large sandwich with crisps and a chocolate bar

Dinner: Steak pie, mash, vegetables and gravy

Snacks: Crisps, biscuits and chocolate

After menu:

Breakfast: 2 coconut and raisin Weetabix with milk and blueberries

Lunch: Large chicken salad with lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes

Dinner: Nacho-style feast, made with less than 5% fat beef mince, potato wedges, peppers and spices. Served with a large salad.

*Slimming World’s Diamond Member competition is open to all members who have reached their personal achievement target weight and maintained that weight for more than 12 months. Around 10% of Slimming World’s membership are target members.

**At Slimming World members choose their own personal achievement target and once they reach that weight they can continue to attend their Slimming World group for free every week, while they remain 3lbs either side of their target, to receive support and inspire other members.

Notes to Editors

This story is NOT for syndication to any magazines without the consent of Katie Clark and the Slimming World press office (details below).

Slimming World and Katie Clark retain copyright of all images attached to this press release.

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 groups held weekly across the UK and Republic of Ireland via a network of 4,800 community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques. Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. The principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people and a recognition that those who struggle with weight carry a double burden, the weight itself and a burden of guilt and shame about their weight. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.